As anyone that knows me probably already knows, I’m a big fan of Dr. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.  He’s also known as Dr. No for his stance against wasteful spending.  He slipped national park carry in with the liberal’s pet credit card bill.  Generally speaking, the guy is full of win.

Except this.  Banning tobacco?  That screams of government over-reaching into personal lives.  Not even taking into account the jobs lost in the private sector.  Smokers are already treated worse than second class citizens.  And since when has banning anything solved the problem?  I seriously doubt there are any smokers in this day and age that do not understand the risk they are taking by continuing in the habit.  Are you going to ban french fries next?  They have no nutritional value and there’s actually far more scientific backing for a war on obesity.

And this is coming from a non-smoker.  I’ve tried it, it didn’t do anything for me.

Tobacco is already regulated to the hilt.  Every package gives up free ad space to the surgeon general.  And without it, how would children’s healthcare be funded?  What do you plan to tax to take it’s place?  Smokers gather in dark corners under the derisive looks of condescending soccer moms sipping their fancy lattes and laughing loudly enough to drown out the cries from their painfully strained velour pants.

I realize that his intentions are good and noble, but we all know where that well-paved road leads.  We don’t need any nanny DOT gov telling us what to eat, what to drive, and what foul smelling substances we can or can’t inhale.

Hey Dr. No,

But what if I want to drive a gas guzzler have a cigarette?